View source for Neil Balme

{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1952}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Neil Balme
| image = Neil Balme 20.12.16.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = Balme in December 2016
| nickname = Balmey
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1952|1|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Perth]], Western Australia
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| height = 194&nbsp;cm
| weight = 104&nbsp;kg
| position = 
| statsend = 1997
| years1 = 1968
| club1 = {{WAFL|Sub}}
| games_goals1 = {{0|00}}4 {{0|00}}(0)
| years2 = 1970–1979
| club2 = {{AFL Ric}}
| games_goals2 = 159 (229)
| years3 = 1981–1982
| club3 = {{SANFL Nor}}
| games_goals3 = {{0}}13 {{0}}(22)
| games_goalstotal = 176 (251)
| coachyears1 = 1980–1990
| coachclub1 = {{SANFL Nor}}
| coachgames_wins1 = 270 (162–106–2)
| coachyears2 = 1991–1992
| coachclub2 = {{SANFL WWT}}
| coachgames_wins2 = {{0}}49 {{0|00}}(32–17–0)
| coachyears3 = 1993–1997
| coachclub3 = {{AFL Mel}}
| coachgames_wins3 = {{0}}98 {{0|00}}(41–57–0)
| careerhighlights = *2× [[List of VFL/AFL premiers|VFL Premiership player]]: ([[1973 VFL Grand Final|1973]], [[1974 VFL Grand Final|1974]])
*2× [[List of SANFL premiers|SANFL Premiership coach]]: ([[1982 SANFL Grand Final|1982]], [[1984 SANFL Grand Final|1984]])
*[[All Australian Team]] coach 1994
* Life member Norwood and Richmond
*6× AFL Premiership football manager
}}

'''Neil Allen Balme''' (born 15 January 1952) is a former [[Australian rules football]]er who played for the [[Richmond Football Club]] in the [[Victorian Football League]] (VFL), as well as for the [[Subiaco Football Club]] in the [[Western Australian Football League|Western Australian National Football League]] (WANFL) and the [[Norwood Football Club]] in the [[South Australian National Football League]] (SANFL).

Throughout his involvement in football, as a player, coach and administrator, Balme has experienced premiership success across a number of clubs. He is currently a board member at the [[Adelaide Football Club]] in the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL).<ref name=AAP>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1267961/success-follows-him-respected-administrator-neil-balme-joins-adelaide-crows-board|title='Success follows him': Respected administrator joins Crows' board|date=14 February 2025|website=afl.com.au|author=AAP}}</ref>

==Playing career==
Balme was one of three brothers, the others being [[Ian Balme|Ian]] and [[Craig Balme|Craig]], to play League football. As a player, Balme was one of football's wild men, a man mountain who often threw his weight around resulting in many tribunal appearances. But he was also a skilled, thoughtful footballer who could take a strong, contested mark and boot the ball long distances. After retiring, he built a reputation as a football coach and later administrator that highlighted his innovative thinking about the game.

Balme played his junior football with Wembley Athletic Club, after leaving Mount Pleasant Amateurs, before transferring to [[Western Australian Football League]] (WAFL) club [[Subiaco Football Club|Subiaco]] in 1968. Aged just 16, Balme created a huge impression with a strong performance in the ruck against future [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]]r [[Graham Farmer|Graham "Polly" Farmer]] in a game against [[West Perth Football Club]]. In January 1969, he moved to Melbourne with his family. He was quickly enticed to sign with Richmond along with his older brother Ian Balme.

It was a riches back to rags situation after the move. The Tigers believed that the youngster needed some rounding to his still raw game. Balme found himself playing at thirds (under 19) level with the Tigers. At season's end, he played in the team's third consecutive premiership under famous junior coach, [[Ray Jordon]]. In [[1970 VFL season|1970]], Balme continued his development with the Tiger reserves, and broke through for three senior games late in the year.

At this point, Richmond were in the process of generational change in the team after two premierships in the late 1960s. The club demanded strong, vigorous ruck players and identified the potential in Balme to continue the tradition. He was a team regular in [[1971 VFL season|1971]] as a forward/relief ruckman and performed well on the big stage during the Tigers' finals matches.

Balme stood out with his height, big physique, long, flowing hair and penchant for throwing his weight around. For [[1972 VFL season|1972]], the club recruited another player in a similar mould in [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton's]] [[Ricky McLean]], who played next to Balme at full forward. The duo booted a combined total of 110 goals for the season and created terror among opposing defenders with their vigorous approach to the game. Balme was less effective in the finals, saving his best game for the [[1972 VFL Grand Final|Grand Final]] when he booted five goals in a losing performance against Carlton. He also provided several goals for teammates with intelligent tap-ons, hit outs and shepherds, an under-emphasised aspect of his game.

[[1973 VFL season|Twelve months later]], Balme and his teammates fronted the same opposition in the [[1973 VFL Grand Final]], determined to avenge their shock loss. Richmond started well, and in the second quarter began to dominate the game. Balme instigated two incidents during this period that remain controversial to this day. Firstly, he threw a round arm punch into the jaw of his opponent, Carlton full back [[Geoff Southby]]. Although Southby was able to regain his feet after slumping to the ground, he had severe concussion and was replaced by a reserve at half time. Minutes later, Balme launched a flurry of punches at Carlton's [[Vin Waite]] during a scramble for the ball in the Richmond goalsquare. This sparked a small melee as the two teams converged on Balme and Waite. The umpire had a good sight of the incident and reported Balme, who was later suspended. It mattered little to the Tigers, who went on to win the game by five goals and annexe their third flag in seven years. But the club didn't escape criticism that they planned the two incidents before the game. Richmond players and officials have always defended Balme's actions, claiming that there was no way Balme premeditated his attacks on the Carlton players.

After serving his suspension early the [[1974 VFL season|following season]], Balme returned to the side and was one of the driving forces behind the Tigers' performance in finishing on top of the ladder. He played well in the finals and aged 22 was a [[1974 VFL Grand Final|premiership player]] for the second time. Balme confirmed his status as a big-game performer in the [[1975 VFL season|1975 finals]], when Richmond finished third. By now, Balme was at the peak of his game and had a real presence on the field. Although, at 193&nbsp;cm, he was often conceding height to other ruckman, he was surprisingly mobile and agile and never beaten in a one-on-one physical confrontation.

Richmond then lost a number of ruckman, allowing Balme to play more football on the ball and he was appointed vice captain of the club for the [[1976 VFL season]]. Balme had his best-ever season in [[1977 VFL season|1977]], finishing second in Richmond's Best and Fairest award, the [[Jack Dyer Medal]], and was chosen to play for his native Western Australia in the first state of origin match in October. Unfortunately, his finals campaign was hindered by a late season suspension, causing him to miss the first week of the finals. The following week he returned, only to be stymied by his North Melbourne opposition, who made a last-minute switch to his opponent that left Balme and his teammates off-guard. Richmond lost the match convincingly and were eliminated.

After a solid season in [[1978 VFL season|1978]], Balme's career suddenly curtailed [[1979 VFL season|the following year]]. He had missed just seven games in the preceding four seasons, but suffered his first major injury when he hurt his knee. Restricted to just two games for the year and usurped as first ruckman at Richmond by [[Mark Lee (Australian rules footballer)|Mark Lee]], Balme shocked the club when he accepted life membership and then retired from the game, aged only 27. Balme then shifted to [[South Australia]], where he was snapped up by [[South Australian National Football League]] (SANFL) club [[Norwood Football Club|Norwood]] as coach.

==Coaching career==
Balme's stint at Norwood lasted eleven seasons during which his team never missed the finals. They won premierships in 1982 and 1984, earning Balme an excellent reputation and several overtures to return to Victoria and coach. Richmond were among the suitors for his talents. But Balme felt that the game was stagnating in its home state, dragged down by an emphasis on negativity and physicality. He encouraged a fast, open and skilful passing game that he believed was the future of the code.

In 1991, Balme left Norwood and became the inaugural coach of the new [[Woodville-West Torrens Football Club]], formed from the merger of [[Woodville Football Club|Woodville]] and [[West Torrens Football Club|West Torrens]] at the end of 1990. His success there proved that a merged entity could work at a time when AFL clubs were facing the prospect of merger to stay viable in the new, fully professional era. Eventually, he succumbed to the lure of coaching in the AFL and was appointed to lead [[Melbourne Football Club]] for the [[1993 AFL season]].

Balme's persistence with a strategic, high-possession, low-impact game plan earned both praise and ridicule. When the style succeeded it was attractive and hard to counter. However, when broken down by intense tackling, the players (and the coach) could look foolish and inept. Melbourne made it all way to the preliminary final in [[1994 AFL season|1994]], but struggled thereafter. Melbourne's poor record from 1995 on was due in part to injury to stars including [[Garry Lyon]], [[David Schwarz (footballer)|David Schwarz]], and [[Stephen Tingay]]. Balme's reasoned, personable style and his insistence on player self-empowerment made him very media-friendly, but some questioned whether he was suited to coaching in the AFL.

Balme and his players were caught in the turmoil surrounding the club's proposal to merge with [[Hawthorn Football Club]] in [[1996 AFL season|1996]]. The team slumped and after a number of embarrassing performances in [[1997 AFL season|1997]], Balme was sacked after Round 9 and eight successive losses by the controversial new Demons president, [[Joe Gutnick]]. He was replaced by [[Greg Hutchison]] for the rest of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/nsw/decision-will-make-daniher-better-ng-0dc8ec7550ebf10e8c2b838b839ebaf5|title=Decision will make Daniher better|date=27 June 2007|access-date=30 March 2022}}</ref>

==Statistics==

===Playing statistics===
:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/N/Neil_Balme.html|title=Neil Balme|work=AFL Tables|access-date=28 October 2019}}</ref>

{{AFL player statistics legend/ruckman|p=y}}
{{AFL player statistics start/ruck with votes}}
|- 
| [[1970 VFL season|1970]]
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 21 || 3 || 8 || 3 || 19 || 11 || 30 || 7 || {{n/a}} || 11 || 2.7 || 1.0 || 6.3 || 3.7 || 10.0 || 2.3 || {{n/a}} || 3.7 || 0
|- 
| [[1971 VFL season|1971]]
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 21 || 17 || 28 || 19 || 150 || 34 || 184 || 71 || {{n/a}} || 34 || 1.6 || 1.1 || 8.8 || 2.0 || 10.8 || 4.2 || {{n/a}} || 2.0 || 0
|- 
| [[1972 VFL season|1972]]
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 21 || 20 || 55 || 30 || 150 || 35 || 185 || 73 || {{n/a}} || 59 || 2.8 || 1.5 || 7.5 || 1.8 || 9.3 || 3.7 || {{n/a}} || 3.7 || 2
|- 
| scope=row bgcolor=F0E68C | '''[[1973 VFL season|1973]]'''<sup>#</sup>
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 21 || 13 || 34 || 28 || 88 || 35 || 123 || 47 || {{n/a}} || 25 || 2.6 || 2.2 || 6.8 || 2.7 || 9.5 || 3.6 || {{n/a}} || 1.9 || 1
|- 
| scope=row bgcolor=F0E68C | '''[[1974 VFL season|1974]]'''<sup>#</sup>
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 21 || 18 || 37 || 21 || 170 || 90 || 260 || 80 || {{n/a}} || 7 || 2.1 || 1.2 || 9.4 || 5.0 || 14.4 || 4.4 || {{n/a}} || 7.0 || 0
|- 
| [[1975 VFL season|1975]]
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 21 || 25 || 24 || 21 || 225 || 113 || 338 || 114 || {{n/a}} || 133 || 1.0 || 0.8 || 9.4 || 4.7 || 14.1 || 4.8 || {{n/a}} || 11.1 || 0
|-
| [[1976 VFL season|1976]]
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 21 || 21 || 18 || 13 || 193 || 95 || 288 || 97 || {{n/a}} || 156 || 0.9 || 0.6 || 9.2 || 4.5 || 13.7 || 4.6 || {{n/a}} || 7.4 || 0
|- 
| [[1977 VFL season|1977]]
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 21 || 22 || 12 || 9 || 233 || 204 || 437 || 118 || {{n/a}} || 352 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 10.6 || 9.3 || 19.9 || 5.4 || {{n/a}} || 16.0 || 10
|- 
| [[1978 VFL season|1978]]
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 21 || 18 || 13 || 6 || 119 || 115 || 234 || 51 || {{n/a}} || 175 || 0.7 || 0.3 || 6.6 || 6.4 || 13.0 || 2.8 || {{n/a}} || 10.3 || 3
|- 
| [[1979 VFL season|1979]]
|{{AFL Ric}}
| 21 || 2 || 0 || 1 || 4 || 4 || 8 || 2 || {{n/a}} || 1 || 0.0 || 0.5 || 2.0 || 2.0 || 4.0 || 1.0 || {{n/a}} || 0.5 || 0
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 159
! 229
! 151
! 1351
! 736
! 2087
! 660
! {{n/a}}
! 953
! 1.4
! 0.9
! 8.6
! 4.7
! 13.2
! 4.2
! {{n/a}}
! 7.5
! 16
|}

===Coaching statistics===
:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/Neil_Balme.html|title=AFL Tables – Neil Balme – Coaching Record|work=afltables.com}}</ref>
{{AFL coaching statistics legend}}
{{AFL coaching statistics start}}
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[1993 AFL season|1993]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 20 || 10 || 10 || 0 || 50.0% || 10 || 15
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[1994 AFL season|1994]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 25 || 14 || 11 || 0 || 56.0% || 7 || 15
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[1995 AFL season|1995]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 22 || 9 || 13 || 0 || 40.9% || 9 || 16
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[1996 AFL season|1996]]
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 22 || 7 || 15 || 0 || 31.8% || 14 || 16
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center; font-weight:normal" | [[1997 AFL season|1997]]*
|style="text-align:center;"|{{AFL Mel}}
| 9 || 1 || 8 || 0 || 11.1% || 16 || 16
|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=2| Career totals
! 98
! 41
! 57
! 0
! 41.8%
! colspan=2|
|}

''* Replaced by caretaker coach [[Greg Hutchison]].''

==Football administrator==
Balme found a position more suited to his personality when he was appointed football operations manager at the struggling [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] in [[1998 AFL season|1998]]. In [[2000 AFL season|2000]], he was joined by former Richmond teammate [[Mick Malthouse]] (as coach) as part of an ambitious plan to lift the ailing Magpies up the ladder. Balme's calm, rational demeanour and casual style proved to be a great foil to Malthouse's more intense and temperamental character and the team made it to the [[2002 AFL Grand Final|2002]] and [[2003 AFL Grand Final]]s, only to lose both matches to the [[Brisbane Lions]].

Surprisingly, Balme was moved sideways by Collingwood at the end of the [[2006 AFL season]] and he opted to accept an offer from [[Geelong Football Club]] to act as football operations manager in [[2007 AFL season|2007]], for the Cats, the year in which the club won its first [[AFL Premiership|Premiership]] in 44 years.  The success at Geelong continued throughout his tenure, with two more Premierships (2009, 2011) and a Grand Final appearance (2008).
After eight years at Geelong, Balme was offered and accepted the newly created director of coaching role with Collingwood at the end of 2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-09-12/buckley-bemoans-pies-losing-balme-to-tigers|title=Buckley bemoans Pies losing Balme to Tigers|date=12 September 2016 }}</ref>

In September 2016 Balme left Collingwood to accept the position of General Manager of Football at {{AFL Ric}}.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-09-12 |title=Tigers appoint Neil Balme as head of football |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/88870/tigers-appoint-neil-balme-as-head-of-football |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=afl.com.au |language=en}}</ref> In his first year, Richmond went on to win [[2017 AFL Grand Final|2017 premiership]], breaking a 37-year drought. This drought breaking performance by the [[Richmond Football Club]] was backed up by a [[minor premiership]] in 2018 then going on to win another two AFL premierships in the [[2019 AFL Grand Final|2019]] and [[2020 AFL Grand Final|2020]] seasons.
In 2024 Balme completed his tenure at the Richmond Football Club. In 2025 Balme was appointed to the board at the [[Adelaide Football Club]].<ref name=AAP/>

==References==
* 1971 Tiger Year Book – Richmond Football Club
* Hogan P: ''The Tigers of Old'', Richmond FC, (Melbourne), 1996. {{ISBN|0-646-18748-1}}
{{reflist}}
{{Commons category}}

==External links==
{{See also|List of Western Australian State of Origin footballers}}
* {{AFL Tables}}
* {{AFL Tables coach ID}}
* {{AustralianFootball}}
* {{WAFL FootyFacts}}
* {{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040422201419/http://richmondfc.com.au:80/default.asp?pg=players&spg=pastplayerprofile&personid=14865|title=Neil Balme's profile|website=Richmond Football Club|archivedate=22 April 2004|url-status=dead|url=http://richmondfc.com.au:80/default.asp?pg=players&spg=pastplayerprofile&personid=14865}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.gfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/3933/Default.aspx?newsId=39957 |website=Geelong Football Club |date=23 March 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928141401/http://www.gfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/3933/Default.aspx?newsId=39957|archive-date=28 September 2007|title=Season launch full of experience|url-status=dead}}

{{1973 Richmond premiership players}}
{{1974 Richmond premiership players}}
{{1982 Norwood premiership players}}
{{1984 Norwood premiership players}}
{{Woodville-West Torrens Football Club coaches}}
{{Melbourne Football Club coaches}}
{{Norwood Football Club coaches}}
{{Richmond leading goalkickers}}
{{1994 All-Australian team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balme, Neil}}
[[Category:1952 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Perth, Western Australia]]
[[Category:Subiaco Football Club players]]
[[Category:Richmond Football Club players]]
[[Category:Richmond Football Club premiership players]]
[[Category:Melbourne Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:Norwood Football Club players]]
[[Category:Norwood Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:Woodville-West Torrens Football Club coaches]]
[[Category:All-Australian coaches]]
[[Category:VFL/AFL premiership players]]